


Can’t believe a word she says, most times, but this time it was true

by Shakesqueer_lover



Category: The Wilds (TV 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Complicated Relationships, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Friends to Enemies, Secret Relationship, Slow Burn, mr goodkind sucks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:48:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29328783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shakesqueer_lover/pseuds/Shakesqueer_lover
Summary: Shelby and Toni have been best friends since year 2 but after a drunk kiss at a party things become far more complicated than either girl anticipated. Toni and Shelby both learn many things about themselves.Friends to enemies (kinda) to lovers.
Relationships: Shelby Goodkind/Toni Shalifoe
Comments: 35
Kudos: 110





	1. 1

1.

I did not mean for it to happen, or maybe I did. It was all innocent. A simple kiss between two drunk best friends about to start a new school year. However nothing is as simple as seen at face value.

Toni had nervous butterflies bumping around in her stomach. Her and Shelby had been friends since the second grade. It all started with her fist breaking Andrew’s nose after pulling Shelby’s perfect ponytail and it just blossomed from there. However Toni now feared that their perfect friendship had hit a wall after speeding 120km.

It had been three days since her lips had met the blondes in a soft kiss, pressed up against the sink in Leah’s bathroom. The party had been intense and both girls were 6 shots in before the incident. It had all been soft and beautiful before it was ripped away from Toni as her best friend fled the party without a word. This is the first time the two of them had not spoken for more than a few hours. However that was about to come to an end as Shelby always drove Martha and Toni to school and that routine did not seem to have changed in Martha’s eyes, who had no clue the kiss had occurred.

“I have never seen you sweat this hard about a new school year,” Martha stated as her eyes glanced over Toni’s anxious figure.

“Just a lot on my mind at the moment,” she sighed and tried to still her hands that had been picking at a loose thread on her jeans.

“Basketball or the fact that Shelby will probably not be around as much?”

Toni’s head snapped in her adoptive sisters’ direction, eyes bulging, “what? Why would Shelby not be around?”

“you can not tell me that your all time BFF didn’t tell you about her new boy toy?” She smirked as she believed what felt like a blow for Toni.

In a strangled voice Toni asked, “Her what?” 

Brown eyes eyed her strangely before continuing as Shelby’s car made its way down the driveway,” ask her as we get in.”

She tried to suck in a breath as her hand gripped the door handle, opening the door and siding onto the soft leather of the front seat. Shelby seemed to be just as anxious as she felt as her long fingers drummed on the steering wheel.

“Long time no see,” Toni tried to joke coolly in an effort to break the discomfortable feeling. The blonde let out a strangled laugh.

“so Shelby,” Martha’s voice interrupted from the backseat as Shelby started to drive towards school, “Why haven’t you told Toni about that special someone?”

A chocked noise escaped the blonde’s lips as she quickly glanced at Toni’s pained face before looking back out at the road in front of them. “Um… It just didn’t come up I guess.” She says it as if trying to hide the fact that she had actually been avoiding Toni’s messages and calls from their shared friend.

“So who is the mystery man?” trying to keep her voice natural and unphased.

Hazel green eyes meet Toni’s brown, and she looks almost uncomfortable to say. The brunette feels that whatever the answer was just went from bad to worse.

“It’s Andrew,” Shelby finally stutters out nervously and keeps her eyes fixed on the road as they pull into the carpark. Honestly, the girls could walk to school if they wanted but the weather was always shit so they accepted Shelby’s lift all the time. After the blondes reveal however Toni now saw the appeal in walking.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” she tries to keep her voice calm, but she can feel deep anger bubbling in her chest.

“I think it’s cute,” Martha pipes up in the back.

“Oh yes, dating an absolute asshole is so cute,” She spits back and feels a pang of guilt as Marty flinches away slightly.

“He has been asking me for years and Daddy thinks he is a good boy,” Shelby tries to argue.

Toni’s tan hand reaches down to grab the strap of her bag, the other on the door handle about to open. “Oh yes, because he is such a good judge of character,” she spits out before opening the door, getting out and slamming it after her. Thoughts of Shelby’s Dad’s hateful comments about anybody who he did not agree with. Toni had to keep a big part of herself secret whenever she went over Shelby’s house or whenever Mr Goodkind would be attending something that Toni would also be at. It was the only way that Toni was ever going to be allowed over their house. However she had been forced to listen, stay silent and contain her rage whenever he would spew hateful comments in front of her.

She stormed right past their group of friends, giving them a nod of acknowledgement only as she made her way to get her schedule and locker code for the year. Toni had to get a new locker after an incident that occurred last year with a Bryce sized head dent making the locker unlockable, how ironic.

After getting her new schedule and locker she made her way down the hallways so that she could place some of her items she did not need away. Taking deep breathes as she did and hoping to god nobody pissed her off.

“Rough morning,” Leah’s voice said gently from behind her. She had been with the group earlier as an angry Toni had stormed past and clearly had made it her job to find and check on the angry brunette before she made any trouble on the first day.

“I don’t understand why she would date that jerk and why she didn’t tell me,” sighing she shuts her locker and turns to lean against it.

“Did something happen at my party?” She asks gently, dark blue eyes looking at her curiously. Toni relives the kiss in flashes, haunted by something she knows she cannot tell others about.

“kind of, I dunno, “she shrugs trying to act like she has no clue. Leah moves to lean on the locker next to Toni’s, their shoulders brushing slightly.

“You know you can tell me about anything right?” she probes gently, “We all know out of all the girls you and I are the only ones good at keeping secrets.” The gets a light laugh out of Toni that slowly dies in her throat as the group approaches them.

Shelby’s eyes are now burning into Toni’s and she thinks it kind of funny that before she could not even look at her but now she seemed desperate to keep the eye contact. Before any words can be exchanged between the group the blondes pale hand grabs Toni’s wrist, “we need to talk,” she states as she drags her away from the group.


	2. Chapter 2

She pulls Toni into an empty bathroom on the other side of the school and the minute they are inside Toni separates herself from the blonde.  
“I don’t understand Shelby,” she says slightly irritated and Shelby begins to pace in front of her. “Tell me what is happening because it’s all messy and confusing to me.”  
The blonde lets out a puff of air before opening and closing her mouth a few times, but no words come out.  
“Shelby, you ignore me for days, get with fucking Andrew of all people and not tell me, now you pull me into a random bathroom just to pace in front of me,” she runs a hand through her brunette hair out of frustration,” are we going to be ok?” she finishes shaky.  
“Toni, I,” she gulps and averts her eyes,” I kissed you at Leah’s because I was drunk, and it would be fun. I cannot be gay”, she pauses and shakes her head, “I’m not gay.”  
“I never said you were,” she shoots back angry and green eyes finally look up to meet brown, “how does Andrew come into this?”  
“The next day Andrew asked me out at church, and Daddy said he liked him, so I accepted,” she says simply and shrugs.  
“convenient timing don’t you think?” she crosses her arms in front of her, it looks like a sign of anger but its actually comforting and protecting to her, a shield.  
“Toni, the kiss meant nothing,” the blonde argues back.  
“Then why ignore me, your best friend, for 3 days?”  
She seems taken aback by the words, frozen in her spot.  
“Shelby, what do you want?” Toni sighs out, over this entire situation.  
“To go back to how it was, like nothing happened,” the pale girl finally responds.  
“fine, done,” she walks past her best friend of many years and out into the hallway with Shelby calling after her. However she does not stop walking until she finds the group of their friends as the bell rings for home room.  
“Anyone else in homeroom with Mrs Harris,” she asks as soon as the bell stops ringing and Shelby turns up behind her.  
“Yeah I am,” Nora replies.  
“same here,” Shelby pipes up behind her.  
Toni holds back a sigh of annoyance that she really should not feel, “let’s go then.”

They enter the room, its cream walls peeling from years of not being redone, its busy as all the students begin to fill up the available seats. Nora walks away to sit with her boyfriend of 6 months who awkwardly waves in Toni’s direction after removing his bag from the seat beside him for Nora. She turns to face Shelby to ask where she would like to sit but as she opens her mouth to speak she is interrupted by the booming and unpleasant voice of Andrew.  
“Over here babe,” he calls across the room, surrounded by his friends. Shelby’s apologetic green eyes flash towards her as she makes her way over to him and he puts an arm around her shoulder. Toni holds back a shudder at the sight, purely because Andrew is a dick, or so she tells herself.

With a deep sigh she makes her way over to the only seat left, occupied by a girl who looks way to dressed up to be at school. Large hoop earrings swing as she turns her head to address Toni, sticking a perfectly manicured hand out, “I’m Fatin.”  
“Um, Toni,” she awkwardly responds as she shakes the hand in front of her.  
The teacher begins talking at the front of the room and Toni tries her best to pay attention but can feel the deep burn of eyes on the back of her head. She knows without a doubt it is Shelby. The dynamic of the two feels so strange to Toni now, so foreign. The girl she once knew everything about had somehow managed to close off and become a mystery to her in a matter of days. Why had one kiss changed the situation so much. Toni was not even into Shelby and Shelby sure as anything was not into Toni. However, the brunette could not deny that she very much enjoyed the kiss. Felt a spark in fact. If anyone ever asked her though, she would deny such claims.

“What’s the story with blonde back there?” Fatin breaks into Toni’s thoughts and receives a raised eyebrow of confusion in return,” She is staring at you as if she just found out terrible news,” Fatin's brown eyes glance at the back of the room,” or vomit.” She adds as an afterthought.  
“She’s my best friend and probably regretting accepting to date the idiot beside her,” She puts simply as reply, not even turning around.  
“Ahhh that’s why you never date,” That gets a laugh out of Toni in response.

The rest of class passes easy. They are allowed to talk at the end and Toni exchanges phone numbers with Fatin and they compare timetables. They share a few more classes during the week and she is glad to know that at least someone cool will be in a few of her classes.

Toni and Shelby do not see eachother again until just before lunch. Toni entered the science lab, and the blonde began to wave her arms erratically to get her attention.  
“oh my, I haven’t seen you in what feels like forever,” Shelby pipes up as Toni slides into the seat beside her.  
“Maybe if you hadn’t ignored me for days you wouldn’t miss me so much,” she responds in a joking tone but the blonde still winces at the joke.  
“I’m sorry,” Shelby’s tone is apologetic and her eyes slightly teary.  
“no, I’m sorry,” she stares ahead of her and watches the teacher as he places a PowerPoint on the board and clears his throat preparing to speak, “we talked it out and I forgive you. Just don’t shut me out again.”  
“I won’t,” a pale hand slips into hers as she says it quickly,” I was being an idiot.”  
“we’ll your words, not mine,” finally the blonde laughs at Toni’s joke and they settle into a comfortable silence as the lesson begins.

Everything is fine until Shelby comes over to Toni and Martha's on Friday night. The two best friends are snuggled up together on Toni's bed chatting away and half watching a movie.  
"There is no way that would work in real life," the brunette gestures to the tv that shows a man standing in the rain yelling about writing letters everyday for a year before pulling the girl into a passionate kiss.  
"I think it's romantic," The blonde argues back as she sits up slightly to look into Toni's eyes.  
"You're telling me you'd be into someone yelling at you and then forcefully grabbing your chin to pull you into a kiss, in the rain?" she raises and eyebrow in question.  
Shelby ponders for a moment, " you wouldn't?"  
Toni's heart skips a beat in her chest as her eyes meet murky green that are staring with so much intensity. She gulps and imagines herself grabbing Shelby by the chin and smashing their lips together. Recalls the soft moan that escaped the blondes mouth when their lips had connected in Leah's bathroom all those nights ago. How soft Shelby's waist felt as Toni's hands ran along the hem line of her shirt and pulled her closer. It's in that moment Toni thinks, oh shit.  
"Toni," the girl her thoughts were on stretches out her name in sing song style as she pokes the tan girls cheeks.  
"what?" confused she shakes her head slightly and focuses on the girl.  
"where'd you just go?" curious eyes study her face.  
"Why did you say yes to Andrew?" Toni asks before she even has time to think. Shelby moves back slightly at the question, puzzled, crossing her legs and pulling a pillow to her chest.  
"He has been asking me out for years and when Daddy said he liked him I thought, why not."  
"but do you like him," Toni makes sure to put emphasis on the you.  
Shelby's muscles tense at the question and a flash of irritation crosses her features, "why does that matter?"  
"Why would that not matter," Toni argues back.

They stare at eachother for a few long, silent moments. The air so thick with tension you could cut it with a knife. Suddenly pale hands have latched onto the sides of Toni's face and lips meet hers. She's still at first as Shelby applies pressure to her lips and just as the girl goes to pull away Toni's mind catches up and she begins to kiss her back. She keeps it soft and slow, bringing a hand up to rest on Shelby's waist hesitantly. She leans forward slightly but as she does the lips disconnect from hers and Shelby is suddenly standing and across the room from her covering her lips with her hands. Toni's brows furrow in confusion.

"You need to stop doing that," Shelby states and her voice is laced with anger.  
That was a bad idea to say as Toni slips into defensive mode, walls flying up, " you kissed me!"  
"My Daddy is right," the blonde says with finality, nodding her head as if to reassure herself.  
"About what Shelby?" crossing her arms over her chest as her eyes narrow at the girl she had been friends with for so long, the girl who knew all her secrets, the girl she was now starting to think she loved more than she should.  
"Your kind always try to tempt and change people. You want my life to be as fucked up as yours."

In a split second everything about them shatters as a Toni sized hand print is now on Shelby's pale cheek, "how dare you! You're meant to be my best friend."  
Shelby grabs her phone that had been sitting on the bed and turns back to Toni, her expression is anger but her eyes are full of unshed tears, " Not anymore. In fact, I pity you." she pauses and then brings her eyes up Toni's body to meet her brown in an intense gaze, "You can't make me like you."  
Toni's tan hand reaches out and grabs Shelby's arm, " Shelby, you kissed me," she says it more boldly, putting as much emphasis as she can into her statement.  
"Shut up! shut Up!," she turns and put her hand on the door handle the other running through her hair and tugging at the ends, " I think it's best," she pauses and Toni can see her shoulders move with a deep inhale of breath. Tears stream down Toni's face as the final blow hits her, "if you stay away from me from now on."

With that she is gone and the brunette is left in ruins on the floor of her room. Years of friendship over all because of one, well now two, kisses. Hours later Martha finds her, hyperventilating and smothered in tears that seem to never stop flowing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is sad and not at all the fluffy, happy Shoni we love but the tags did warn of a friends to enemies, to lovers rollercoaster. Plus in reality my slow burn will probably not burn for long as I don't plan on many chapters. Thanks for giving it a read :)


	3. Chapter 3

Toni cried the entire night wrapped up in Martha’s warm embrace. Between hiccups she had managed to give her sister a watered-down version of events.

“She finally ended up like her Dad,” she had mumbled into Martha’s chest and that was all she needed to completely understand that Shelby, after two years of knowing, had finally decided she could not accept that Toni was gay.

The brunette did not attend school that Monday but based on texts she received from the group she knew Martha had informed them about what had happened and just like that Shelby was pushed out of the group. That did not seem to matter however as Toni heard from Martha that the blonde had stayed glued to Andrew’s side all day and managed to avoid the girls anyway.

The day after she had no choice but to go to school as the basketball team was going to start training and Mrs Blackburn would not let her wallow in pity for another day. She walked the halls in almost a daze remembering all the times she had walked the halls with Shelby by her side, hand in hand. The girl’s laughter had always been infectious, her eyes always pulling Toni in. The more that Toni thinks back on their friendship the more she can see where lines between friendship and more had crossed before the kiss had even occurred.

There had been a day two summers ago that Toni kept going back to. The girls had decided to go on a hike that had a little swimming hole at the end. She can remember how Shelby’s yellow bikini looked on her body, how curvy the other girl was. At the time it seemed normal to her to look at the other girl and admire her beauty, they had known eachother so long, gone through all of the phases together until they found their styles.

She can still remember the blondes smile when her teeth came out and never grew back. The adorable little gaps that Shelby hated. Toni was the only person not in the blonde’s family who knew about her fake teeth.

They had finally made it into the water and after a little splashing around the tan girl felt pale legs wrap around her waist. Hands slowly crept up around her shoulders holding Toni close and playing with the little hairs at the back of the tan girl’s neck.

“What are you? A koala?” Toni had joked and remembers the girl’s eyes lighting up with joy as she looked at her, a little giggle escaping her soft pink lips.

“So what if I am?” she had joked back pulling Toni closer and resting her forehead against the brunette’s as they floated around for a little bit and joked with the rest of the girls.

Toni can recall how shallow her breaths were and comes to the startling realization that maybe back then she had wanted to kiss Shelby. She did end up coming out not long after that. There are all these moments she starts remembering from their past with similar emotions. Moments in time that lines had seemed to blur. How long had Toni been into the girl? Maybe Shelby was right, and she had been pushing for it all along without noticing.

“Trouble in paradise?” is the first thing Fatin says to her as she enters homeroom, brown eyes curious as they took in a tired looking Toni. The girls had grown close over the past week and the well-dressed girl had even found a place among their little group.

“You could say that, I guess,” she quipped back, “How’d you know?”

Her jewelry clicked together as she glanced to the back of the room quickly than at Toni, “For starters you came in separately, she’s burning holes into our backs and Martha told me she has become a crazy Christian minion,” she shrugs her shoulders like its obvious.

Toni tenses and turns slightly, her browns meeting the fiery dark green gaze directed at her before the blonde turns her head away quickly.

“Always sucks to learn you best friend secretly did not like who you were for a few years, “Toni sighs out. She is exhausted from the emotional torture she has had to endure.

Fatin’s long tan arm wraps around her shoulders and pulls her into her side. Toni rests her head on the girl’s shoulder, fatin’s nails running up and down Toni’s bicep reassuringly. They sit like that for a few minutes before the teacher comes in and begins to go through announcements.

Later Toni finds that today must be the smother ‘Toni with affection’ day as when she sees Leah later the girl wraps her up in a suffocating hug. The girl’s soft cardigan gripped in the tan girls’ hands as she holds back tears. Leah’s hugs always had a way of being so comforting that you could not hide your emotions. Like a warm blanket on a rainy day.

“Oh Toni,” Her blue eyes take the brunette in. Toni had not put in much effort with getting dressed that morning and feels a little self-conscious now that someone is taking in her mismatched clothes.

“Can we not talk about it?” she pleads, voice raspy. Leah slides an arm around her waist as they begin the walk to their shared English class.

“Only if you promise to talk to me about it at some point. I feel that there is more to it then what you told Martha,” Toni hates how good Leah is at reading into things, seeing what others miss. It was only ever a useful trait if it worked in your favor.

“You know I always end up telling you what’s happening anyway,” she states simply as her answer and gets a nod in return.

“True. So you ready for basketball to kick off,” Toni is grateful for the change in topic and they discuss the possibility of her once again being team captain this year after such a successful year last year.

When lunch comes around Toni is already starting to feel better. Her friends had been supportive allowing her to sit and enjoy their company without being forced to relive the events that occurred just a few nights ago.

Dot is deep into a well told retelling of last night’s survivor episode, coupled with hand movements and everyone’s food arranged to look like the course the contestants had to compete in, something that occurred often, when something hits the back of the brunette’s head.

She turns only to be hit in the face by yet another piece of gooey paper shot out through a straw from none other than Andrew. He has a smug smirk on his face and Shelby is sat beside him with a bored expression, until she notices what he has been doing and elbows him shaking her head, no. The two begin to exchange words and Toni turns back to face the table, receiving concerned looks from all the girls. Fatin and Leah both rest their hands on the girls shoulders reassuringly, Fatin removes her tan hand from the girl’s shoulder after a second but Leah’s pale hand remains firmly in place.

Toni takes a few deep breaths but just as she has almost calmed down another wad of paper hits her, this time on her back. Before anyone can stop her she is across the cafeteria, all she can see is red. Her tan hand wraps itself in the front of Andrew’s dark grey shirt and his eyes are panicked as he realised how badly he has fucked up. Toni’s other hand is in a tight fist as it collides with the side of his face repeatedly.

Her vision is completely tunnel visioned on the dirty blonde-haired boy. Blood is dripping slightly from his lip onto the floor in deep red spots. She just keeps swinging filled with rage at him, at herself for being so stupid, at the fact he had all of Shelby’s attention. Each punch filled with complete rage at everything.

A pale hand clasps around her fist and pulls her back, throwing Toni off and she stumbles back a little. Murky green eyes meet hers, shocked and guilty. The blondes focus seems to be purely on Toni for a few seconds as she takes in the girl whose fist has blood all over it, both her own and the boys, before she blinks a few times and turns her back to her. The pale hands reach down and cup Andrew’s chin gently turning his face to her and one of her perfect little finger swipes along his blood red lips. Shelby places a gentle kiss to the boy’s cheek and Toni sees red again but this time the hand that stops her is Leah.

Brown eyes meet Leah’s deep blue, and the girl shakes her head slightly, pulling Toni away from the scene she had just created.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final little update for the week. More things to come soon :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could not help myself so have another chapter!

Leah’s pale hand grips Toni’s gently as she holds the bloody knuckles under the stream of water. The tan girl winces at the feeling as it washes away the bright red blood, revealing small cuts beneath.

“So are you going to tell me now what’s going on?” Leah’s voice is quiet, and her eyes remain focused on Toni’s knuckles.

“You were there. He deserved it,” She gets a sigh in return and deep blue eyes look up sternly into her own.

“You know that’s not what I meant Toni.”

She takes the time to glance around the small bathroom and waits for the last girl to exit before opening her mouth again, “Something happened at my party Toni,” The brunette tenses at Leah’s words, “Shelby ran out like she had seen a ghost and then a few days later your friendship is in ruins.”

“We,” Toni hesitates as a pang of guilt is felt in her chest. Although the secret is kind of hers to tell it is also the blondes secret, however Toni’s needs to tell someone and Leah has always been good at keeping shared secrets,” we kissed.”

Leah is oddly unsurprised by the information and nods for Toni to continue, “And then a few days ago, the day we had the big fight, we kissed again.”

Her shoulders shake as she tries to hold back sobs,” Oh Toni,” pale arms wrap around her small frame and pull her in, "I thought it might be something like this". She holds her for a few moments, wrapped in that soft, comforting embrace that a Leah hug always seems to provide.

Their little moment is ruined however when none other than Shelby comes bursting through the doors of the bathroom. Out of all the bathrooms in the school she manages to find the one that Toni happens to be in. Typical, she thinks as she separates herself from Leah’s embrace, but a pale hand grabs hold of her tan hand reassuringly anyway.

She notices as murky green eyes. that seem to be holding back a wall of emotions, glance down at the touch and she flinches as if burned.

“I uh, sorry. I’ll find another bathroom,” Shelby stutters out and turns strangely as if disorientated.

“Don’t bother,” Toni rasps out, “we were just leaving.”

She walks towards the door with Leah’s pale hand firmly gripped in hers, pulling her along. As she passes Shelby she catches a whiff of her perfume, a soft hint of lychee. It causes Toni’s throat to close up slightly with emotion and she exits quickly into the hallway, taking a deep breath.

She pulls Leah all the way outside and into the carpark of the school.

“Where’s your car?” She asks and turns waiting for Leah to lead the way. They slide into the backseat, pushing a few books and other items onto the floor, not giving a fuck that the bell has gone signaling it is time for class they settle into a silence.

“Did it mean something to you?” breaking the silence after a few minutes, eyes gentle, Leah looks at Toni as if she already knows the answer.

She takes a breath and trains her brown eyes on the seat in front of her. A few minutes pass before she finally admits the painful truth, “Yes. I didn’t realise at the time, but I see it now. Maybe there was a part of me that always felt it,” her thoughts drift back to year two. Shelby and her holding their pinkies together under the playground and swearing to never leave eachother side eyes filled with passion and loyalty for one another, oh how that turned out. She lets out a sigh and runs a shaky hand through her hair as she turns to look at Leah, “What if she is right about me and subconsciously I had been pushing for this?”

“No, Toni,” Leah is shaking her head with finality at the girl, “You can’t make people do things they don’t want to do. I think there is more to this than you know.”

‘You say that as if you know something,” Toni eyes her suspiciously.

Leah’s eyes scan the parking lot around them as if preparing to unload a big secret on Toni, “Do you remember Becca Gilroy?”

The tan girl scoffs at the name, “Of course I do. Her and Shelby joined at the hip in eighth grade and I had to watch my best friend drift away for the first time ever for like six months,” she pauses in thought, “why?”

“We’ll I heard a rumor from Andrew’s group of friends years ago, but I thought it was a lie because Shelby kept rejecting him,” Toni’s ears perk up at that and she moves closer to Leah.

“What rumor?” She whispers out into the space between them. Even though there is no one around to hear them. 

“Becca’s parents took her away because her and Shelby got caught kissing. Shelby blamed it all on Becca.”

“No, there’s no way!” Toni objects, “I would’ve known about it. She is, she was, my best friend.”

“You know her Dad,” Leah gives her a look,” if it was really true she wouldn’t have told a soul because she would have gotten sent away. The more people that knew the worse it would have been.”

“How would Andrew know about it?” The brunette tries to argue again.

“His parents go to the Goodkinds house all the time for dinners, parents talk to parents, parents gossip in front of kids,” she shrugs as if this bombshell has not completely rocked Toni’s life.

“Do you think,” She pauses uncertain,” do you think that maybe her and Becca loved eachother?”

“We don’t even know if it’s true Toni. At least not unless Shelby tells us herself,” the brown eyed girl nods in agreement.

They sit in silence again, Toni snuggled into Leah’s side, exhausted and lost in thought. Students begin to flow out of the building signaling that the girls have missed the remainder of the day.

“You better go if you’re going to make basketball training,” The blue-eyed girl shifts and Toni’s cheek slides away from the soft fabric of her shoulder.

“Yeah, I guess so,” she adjusts her clothes and grabs the door handle to leave, “Leah?”

Leah turns to give Toni her full attention.

“Do you think Shelby kissed me because she feels something a little more than friendship to?” she tries to keep her voice from sounding too hopeful.

“I think when people are afraid of how they feel they say and do terrible things to protect themselves. So, yes, I think there is a possibility she may feel something for you Toni,” Her blue eyes look over Toni both thoughtful and sad,” The real question is does she know that herself and if so how badly will she fight for it?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda just updating it as I write. I figured nobody would object, lol.

Basketball practice ends with no problems, Toni is of course rechosen as Captain. The brunette takes her time in the locker room getting ready, jamming to Little Mix in her headphones, although if anybody asked she would deny it. The only person that ever knew she even listened to them was Shelby. The blonde had introduced her to the girl group a few years back, they had both danced and sung along the entire night until they were so exhausted they collapsed on Toni’s bed, hand in hand and filling the room with their giggles.

Toni is very in her own head when she exits the locker rooms, listening to the lyrics as she sways her head slightly from side to side. Her hands are buried deep in her pockets, preparing to walk the long journey home in the slightly cold weather, when a hand grabs her right shoulder gently. The brunette whips her head around so fast expecting a confrontation but instead is met by the friendly eyes of Fatin.

Toni removes the earphones from her ears as the girl opens her mouth to speak, “God, took you long enough to be ready to go.”

Voice filled with confusion and brow slightly furrowed at her new friend she questions,” uh what?” Fatin reaches down and takes Toni’s hand in hers gently, remembering that the girl’s hands probably still hurt from punching Andrew earlier and begins to walk the girl down the hallways and to the front of the school.

“I had cello practice and I remembered Martha mentioning that you normally get a lift home after practice from the she devil but now had to walk, so,” She steps back and motions a perfectly manicured hand at herself, “Meet your new uber driver and not that I’m biased or anything but you’ve upgraded to a pretty hot driver,” she finishes with a wink as they exit the school, still hand in hand.

Toni laughs lightly at Fatin’s joke, “You know you don’t have to right?”

“I know I don’t have to,” the girl drops her tan hand and walks further ahead to open the passenger door for Toni,” but I want to.”

Giving a disapproving shake of her head Toni slides onto the soft fabric of Fatin’s passenger seat, dropping her bag between her legs. As the tall girl rounds the car to enter the drivers side door Toni notices more people start to exit the front of the building and with a sinking feeling realizes it is the youth bible group Shelby attends, their meetings finishing not long after Toni’s practice. Brown eyes focus themselves on the blonde as she exists the building, Andrew’s arm thrown over the girl’s denim clad shoulders. Shelby seems tense and Toni wonders for a moment if she can feel eyes on her as Fatin slides into her seat, distracting the brown eyed girl and breaking her gaze.

“She apologized to you yet?” She asks Toni, curious, her eyes trained on the view the tan girl had been looking at previously.

Toni scoffs and shuffles in her seat getting comfortable. Fatin starts reversing and green eyes watch the car from a distance, meeting Toni’s briefly before pulling her boyfriend closer to her as she turns away, “You really think she would?” She finally asks in disbelief.

“Well you did say to me you had been friends for years,” Fatin argues as she turns onto the road and begins the quick drive to Toni’s house, “Best friends if I recall.”

“I am starting to think that maybe the friendship was very one sided,” her eyes focus on the road ahead of them briefly before she continues, “She was the first person I ever told about being gay,” the air in the car shifts slightly at the words, tense and unsettled, but Toni presses on, “She promised me that it was ok, that her Dad had not twisted her mind into hating me,” a tear falls down one of her cheeks and she wipes at it quickly, the fire within her lighting again,” Then I find out it was all a lie.”

The car is quiet for a few minutes, the radio plays softly in the background. “If someone can’t accept you for who you are,” Fatin finally speaks up breaking the silence, pulling Toni’s attention from where they had been focused on the road, “Then they aren’t worth another moment of your time.”

They pull up in front of the Blackburn house and she turns the engine of her car off and moves her entire body to face Toni. “Look, I may not have known you exceptionally long at this point, but I can see you are a good person. You are passionate and loyal, you fight for the things that matter,” she glances down at Toni’s knuckles, “sometimes a little hard.” They both chuckle slightly at that, “What I am trying to say is that anybody who is lucky enough to be your friend, should never throw it away for any reason.”

Without hesitation Toni pulls the girl in for a hug, admittedly a little uncomfortable over the console of the car, “Thank you, Fatin. I needed to hear that.”

Later that night as Toni lays in bed she makes a promise to herself, whatever her and Shelby had is history now. She needed to focus on the people in her life that mattered, the ones that did not put conditions on her, the ones who did not kiss her and then blame her, the ones that accepted her for all she is.

For an entire month and a half Toni is successful in her mission. She avoids Shelby like the plague, she changes out of the only class the two of them shared alone and she focuses on her other friendships. Martha brings up the blonde from time to time trying to gage what is going on in Toni’s head, but the brunette avoids the questions at all costs and instead turns the conversation onto Martha’s first boyfriend Marcus, a topic she is always easily distracted by.

Her and Fatin grow closer as well. They spend every afternoon after practice chatting away in the car on the way home, joke around most of the way through homeroom and get into trouble a few to many times for interrupting the morning announcements. Fatin makes it her goal to have the group of girls over every Friday night to eat way too much food and watch crappy reality TV. Toni’s heart swells at the fact that she has people in her life that love her so deeply and support her fiercely. People that do not leave.

The crush Toni had on Shelby seems to have faded or at least slipped into the back of her mind and she now toys with the idea of possibly dating again. She had been single for over a year at this point after Regan walked out of her life and now she was no longer held back by the subconscious want of Shelby. It is with that thought in mind that Leah, Rachel, Fatin and Toni all wind up at a party hosted in honour of all the school’s sports teams being at the top of their respective ladders, the school after all was known for their amazing sports program.

The girls are all a few drinks in and dancing around in the dimly lit living room, couches pushed to the sides to make room for a dance floor, when Leah puts her arms around Toni’s neck and the tan girl’s hands slide down to her waist in response. The two girls had always been close but now that Shelby was no longer around their friendship had evolved further. They sway to the music enjoying eachothers company and Toni wishes for a brief moment that her and Leah could be together. It would be so easy. They have always seemed to understand eachother on a level that others did not understand, but unfortunately their love was as platonic as it could get.

The little moment is interrupted however as Toni catches sight of her estranged best friend and her boyfriend in what seems to be a heated argument. Leah seems to notice the brunette’s distraction and pulls back from Toni’s embrace following her line of vision.

“Just ignore it,” she tries to suggest gently. Toni blinks and looks into Leah’s deep blue eyes.

“It looks bad,” When she looks back up, she sees a quick flash of the blonde running up the stairs and she seems to be crying. Toni lets out an annoyed sigh at herself for what she is about to do, “Look I know she doesn’t deserve it but.”

Leah pulls away from Toni completely and interrupts,” Go check on her if you want and no matter what happens I am here if you need.”

She nods her head at the girl and does a nervous gulp as she turns and makes her way over to the wooden staircase, taking a few deep breathes as she ascends the stairs.

Of course, out of all the places the blonde could have retreated to it is once again a bathroom, Toni is really starting to hate bathrooms. Placing a hand on the cool metal of the handle she turns the handle and pushes, the door swinging open as the girl had not locked it. The sight pulls at Toni’s heart strings and she quickly closes the door behind her, locking it.

Green eyes are panicked as they take in the sight of the short girl. Toni shifts slightly under the gaze before slowly moving across the room, grabbing a handful of toilet paper, and making her way over to Shelby. She raises her hand in question and the blonde nods slowly in consent. She begins to dab gently at the girl’s cheeks, wiping off dripping mascara and tears. When she is finished, she tosses the mess into the bin and looks back into sad green eyes.

“What did the asshat do this time?” Toni’s voice is whispered and raspy. A gentleness to her voice Shelby had not heard in some time now.

The blonde doesn’t answer but instead asks her own question, “Why are you being nice to me? I really don’t deserve it, Toni,” she averts her eyes and focuses on the wall behind Toni’s head,” I said horrible things to you.” Her face is troubled and her teeth are nibbling on her lower lip.

“Yes, you did,” Green eyes snap back to her brown, “but we were close once and I made a promise that I would always be here when needed.”

They share a silent, soft eye contact. Shelby’s beautiful green eyes taking in every inch of the girl’s face.

“He kissed another girl because I refuse to sleep with him,” Shelby finally confesses, “payback for rejecting him”.

“He did what!” the brunette is outraged, fire burning behind the once soft expression she held when looking at Shelby. She turns and put her hand on the door handle, preparing to rip the door open, run down the stairs and beat the boy to a pulp but a pale hand rests itself on top of Toni’s and pulls her away from the door.

“I am happy that you still want to fight for me Toni, but it’s not worth it,” her hand remains clasped around Toni’s. It is quiet for a moment before she speaks again,” Can I ask you something?”

“Of course you can,” the response is instant. Shelby takes a step back from Toni, dropping her hand.

“Are you and Leah like, a thing now?” Toni watches as the blonde nervously clenches her hands in front of her body. The anger starts to bubble up in Toni all over again, “It’s just I have seen you two a few times holding hands and snuggling up and…. And dancing.”

Voice laced with rage Toni takes a few steps forward and backs the blonde up into the corner, “Preparing to give me another lecture on how wrong it is that I am gay and how I am converting all the straights in your area?”

“No Toni, I.”

The brunette does not let her continue, “Going to ask your Daddy to get me into conversion therapy?”

“No, I just meant,” her eyes are panicky, and she can only get a few words in at a time as Toni fires off again.

“Get me sent away like Becca?” All to quickly Toni learns she has pushed a little to far as Shelby’s hands meet the short girl’s shoulders pushing her back.

“What the fuck do you know about Becca?” Toni has only ever heard that amount a rage in Shelby’s voice one time, all those months ago. It throws Toni off balance for a second and she steps back from the blonde before she can continue.

“I’ve heard rumours,” green eyes widen and her jaw clenches.

“what rumours?” the blonde has now began backing Toni away to the other side of the bathroom, her voice is raised slightly and filled with accusation and anger.

“You and her kissed, very similar to what happened with us, and you blamed it all on her, of course,” Shelby blinks a few times at that and Toni pushes on, “Bit funny that you say you aren’t gay yet you’ve kissed two women and then had it all go to shit.” The brunette spits out.

“It’s not true,” Shelby argues after a beat, “you said it yourself, it’s a rumour.”

“Then why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” The blonde shuts down at that, collapsing to the floor. Tears stream down her pale cheeks and Toni feels a pang of guilt in her chest. She tries to convince herself that Shelby kind of had this coming.

Toni lets out a deep sigh, she seems to do that a lot these days, and drops to her knees beside Shelby. The girl is hunched over holding her hands to her chest as if trying to stop it from braking apart.

“I, I,” Shelby is stuttering out.

“You’re having a panic attack Shelby,” the brunette states in realisation and puts a finger under the pale girl’s chin lifting until they meet eyes, “Take some deep breaths with me, ok.”

They sit like that for a little bit, booth taking deep breaths until Shelby’s shoulders stop shaking, “Now are you going to tell me what is going on in your head or are we going to ignore eachother yet again?” Toni asks, half joking.

“I kissed Becca because I liked her,” Shelby’s voice shakes at the admission and Toni cannot hold back her gasp. Green eyes look deeply into her brown, “I blamed it all on her, but my family did not believe me. My Dad,” she takes a breath, “he threatened that if I ever did it again, I would have to go away to a camp for troubled kids every summer, AKA Conversion camp,” She trains her eyes on the ceiling for a moment trying to stop the tears, breaths shaky, before once again holding Toni in a strong eye contact, “I kissed you for the same reason and he can never know.”

Just like that Toni’s world is completely flipped the fuck over.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The paragraph break ups are a bit weird because the writing was really clumped together and I tried to break it up to be easier to read.

“Ok, spill,” Leah demands as she plops down beside Toni on the bed. It shakes slightly at the force as the girl passes a spoon to Toni and places the ice cream container beside them.  
“There isn’t really much to say,” She shrugs and goes to take a scoop of the ice cream but is blocked by Leah’s spoon.  
“Uh UH, only people who share get to eat this minty goodness,” The blue-eyed girl objects, taking a scoop of the mint choc ice cream and eating it victoriously. She receives a groan in response from the shorter girl. Shifting onto her stomach and bringing a pillow up under her chin, resting on it she looks at an expectant Leah.  
“I asked her what happened, and she told me Andrew kissed another girl because she refuses to sleep with him,” She shrugs a tan shoulder and buries her face deeper into the pillow. She’d been dreading this conversation.  
“You’re kidding me, right?” Leah questions, when she receives a pointed look from Toni, she knows she is not joking, “Is she ok?”  
“I think so, yeah,” she avoids curious blue eyes and focuses on the patchwork of the blanket below her, fingers picking at loose threads. Leah offers Toni the ice cream container, she sits up crossing her tan legs and brings a spoonful to her mouth.  
Leah raises her right eyebrow, “There’s more to this isn’t there?”

  
Toni takes her time eating a few spoonsful of the dessert. It feels kind of weird to reveal this deep part of Shelby’s life to Leah. If it were purely Toni’s secret, she would not be holding onto it so tightly.  
She thinks back to panicked, vulnerable green eyes as they took in Toni. The girl had laid it all out there in a rushed confession and looked as if she could puke. Pushing down her feelings Toni had pulled her into a tight hug, keeping Shelby pressed tightly to her body for several minutes, reassuring her that everything was ok and not to panic. It was Shelby’s thing to share but Toni could at least give a little.  
“I can’t exactly tell you a lot without breaking Shelby’s trust,” She starts hesitantly but receives an understanding nod that encourages her to continue, “We talked a bit and it’s not exactly solved but I am ok if some of the girls want to be her friend again,” she pauses and takes another mouthful of food, “I think she needs someone right now.”  
Toni’s eyes probably show the inner turmoil she is feeling because Leah’s demeanor shifts, “Ok, enough of this,” she gets up and puts both hands out for Toni to take. Placing the ice cream container to the side she hesitantly grabs onto the pale hands offered, lifting her off the bed.

  
The girl turns reaching for her stereo and music fills the space,” Let’s dance it out.” Leah starts to sway her hips from side to side, before jumping along to the beat and waving her hands in the air.  
Protesting, “I’m not doing that,” Toni tries to fight back the smile at the girl, who is not having any of her antics. Gripping her hands tightly Leah begins to move them forward and back, which makes Toni’s shoulders shimmy. Eventually she gives in fully and lets loose, dancing around the small room until she is out of breath.  
“You know,” Toni pipes up when the music is finished, “Shelby thought you and I had become a thing.”  
That gets a full, belly laugh out of her friend. She throws her head back and blue eyes sparkle with glee,” No way! Did you give her an answer?”  
“I was so outraged that she would even ask me after everything that went down, I forgot to tell her.” They laugh so hard that happy tears fill their eyes.

Shelby and Toni’s friendship is in no way back to how it was. After the confession and Toni comforting her the girls did not finish talking. Being the awkward human the tan girl is, she said, thanks for sharing, like the blondes confession was a child’s show and tell. Whatever was happening between the two of them it was pretty clear to Toni that all they could ever get is friendship. Shelby had specifically said that her Dad could never know, which Toni interprets as, I just said I feel love for you in a non-friend way, but you aren’t worth it.  
She knows that if any of her friends knew her thoughts, they would tell her off. Make sure she knew all about how worthy of love she was and that it’s all on Shelby and nothing to do with who she is. So Toni keeps it to herself.

  
Green and brown eyes start meeting eachother across the hall and classrooms again, whenever they had to speak to eachother the words were calm and friendly. Time seems to pass as if the conversation in the bathroom had never happened, the only way Toni really knew it happened at all is because they no longer ignored eachother like their lives depend on it. Martha, Dot and Nora all start talking to the blonde again as well, after Toni had told them it would be ok and she didn’t want Shelby to feel alone.

  
It isn’t until two weeks later when Toni is stirred awake by consistent tapping against her window and meets Shelby’s nervous eyes staring at her that things once again take a turn in the basketballer’s life.  
The blonde is shivering in the cold night air wearing only her pjs and a light jacket. Toni stands and walks quietly over to her window popping it open, “Shelby what the fuck are you doing?”  
Shelby lifts herself up and shimmies through the open window, feet now firmly placed on the carpet of the small girl’s room, “I needed to see you.”  
Eyeing the girl suspiciously Toni lets out a snort,” You couldn’t wait until tomorrow?” She takes Shelby in, she is shifting nervously from foot to foot in front of her, hands twisting together in front of her.  
“You never told me your thoughts.”  
Toni turns avoiding Shelby’s eyes and takes her place back on her bed motioning for Shelby to join. She awkwardly shuffles over and sits at the other end of the mattress, “On what exactly?”  
The brunette gets an, are you kidding me, look in response, “Do I need to say it again?”  
“Maybe,” she shrugs a tan shoulder, “some context with it would also be nice.”  
Toni focuses her attention fully on Shelby as the girls face pales and she gets a sick look again. If she focuses hard enough, she can almost see the cogs turning in the blonde’s head, “I don’t hate you, Toni.”  
“I figured that much,” Toni barks out with an eye roll, “we were best friends remember?”  
The blonde’s shoulders slump at the impact of the words. It goes silent again between them before Toni finally decides to ask a nagging question, “If you kissed me because you feel more than friendship, with didn’t you tell me?” she holds the green-eyed gaze with her sad browns, “why did you say everything you did?”  
Shelby’s hands start to fiddle with her hair tie on her wrist before she lets out a puff of air, “When I kissed you at the party I didn’t know, at least on the surface, but then when I sobered up, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I could not stop thinking about doing it again. I remembered all these little moments where lines had seemed to blur in the past and I panicked,” She pauses briefly and reaches hesitantly for Toni’s tan hand. She accepts the contact and the blonde visibly settles, “I started thinking about what would happen if Daddy found out. What he do to us,” her eyes snap up meeting Toni’s with intensity,” what he would do to you.”  
“so why kiss me again?” her voice comes out so soft it surprises her.

  
“I needed to know for sure,” she sighs dropping the girl’s hand,” once it was over, I realised I could never have you, not like that. I needed to protect you the only way that seemed to make sense, even if it ripped me apart. So, I hurt you with words I knew would hurt, that would hit hard and I’m so disgusted in myself for doing it, but he can’t have you Toni,” she starts crying, “he can’t take you.”  
Trying to hold back slight irritation in her voice, “You could have just told me,” she pulls Shelby into her side, moving on the mattress to hold eachother, “why tell me all of this now?”  
A chocked sob escapes Shelby’s lips, “I miss you,” she pulls away and gestures between their two bodies, “and I think I want this. To know what it is. What it could be.”  
“You think or you know?” Toni’s voice is firm as she looks into watery green eyes, “because if you pick me it won’t be like before, I will pursue this. We won’t go back to friendship. Plus, it won’t be easy, there’s still your Dad. You would still have all the problems you thought of before.”  
It silent for a few moments as the blonde nods at Toni.  
“No, no,” the brunette shakes her head and holds Shelby’s pale hand tighter, “I need words.”  
“I, I want to try this,” she pauses, wetting soft pink lips, “but can we build it slow?”  
“yes,” the answer is instant.  
“My Daddy can not know,” her body is stiff and serious, “it would have to be secret; he would send me away. Or do god knows what to you,” she shudders as the words leave her lips.  
“To Mr Goodkind you and I are just friends again,” Toni assures. Once again there is a lull in conversation.  
“What are we to eachother?” she asks quietly.  
“I’m not really sure,” Toni answers honestly, “but I’m willing to see.”  
The girl’s lips meet in a kiss. Hesitant at first, Toni does not fully trust it. However, it settles itself into a comfortable sweet kiss. When they pull away Shelby responds, “so am I.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honour of good ole fashion valentines day I give you a cute little chapter of happy Shoni on a "date". At least someone gets a date on valentines day XD

“I swear I can get it this time, “Shelby gets out between the giggles. Toni aims again and throws with all the precision she can muster but the blueberry smacks the blonde in the cheek again and falls to the blanket below. 

It has been a few days since their chat in Toni’s room and the girls had decided to go on a ‘date’ at a park about an hour and a half from their homes. Shelby’s Dad knew the girls were hanging out but thought only as friends after fixing their argument, which he thought was over typical girl problems and not their budding romance. Shelby had been accepted back into the friendship group as well but Fatin and Leah still weren't a hundred percent sold on the idea. Although Toni said she had apologized and it was all good the two girls still worried about their loyal and vulnerable friend.

The two of them had been attempting for the last few minutes to catch various fruits in eachothers mouths. 

“I’m seriously starting to question your skills,” the blonde joked as she took a bite out of one of the lychees.   
“Well, if you didn’t keep moving your head it’d go in,” she teased. She reached a tan hand forward to wipe at the little spot on her cheek left over from the blueberry. Without hesitation Shelby brought her lips to Toni’s in a quick peck, “I am never going to get used to this,” her smile sweet as she looked into the green eyes of her new lover.   
Shelby’s pale hand brushes along the soft tan skin of Toni’s cheek, eyes thoughtful, “Neither do I," she sighs wistfully, "I don’t know what I would’ve done if you rejected me and my apology.”   
“Lets not dwell on that,” she pops another berry in her mouth and chews thoughtfully, “So I know we can’t tell your dad,” the blonde tenses at the mention of Mr Goodkind, “but can we tell the girls?” 

Shelby shifts awkwardly in front of her, fingers picking at the grass. It did not seem like a bad idea to Toni. The girls would support them and come in handy when they had to make up lies about what they were doing to go on dates. Maybe that way the girls would understand Shelby’s transition back into the group.   
“Toni, I,” she clears her throat avoiding the girl’s eyes,” I don’t know.”   
Reaching across the blanket Toni takes her pale hand in reassurance.   
“The girls won’t judge us,” she pleads, “It could come in handy as well when we need to tell Mr Goodkind what you’re doing and with who. Less suspicious if he thinks it's not always us two alone.”   
That seems to peak the girl’s interest, “ok, but we need to make sure no one else knows.”   
“deal,” she replies, her voice not holding back the joy she feels. 

They settle under the nice midday sun; Toni is laid on her back with the blonde’s head resting gently on her stomach. She strokes Shelby’s pale arm gently, although the weather has been cold the sun today makes it a comfortable temperature. They are still, once again enjoying eachothers company.   
“So I have another pageant coming up soon,” The blonde says simply, turning her head slightly to look at Toni’s face.  
She hums in response to let the girl know she is listening, “I still need to pick a song to sing.”   
Toni shifts and starts to run her fingers through long blonde hair, getting a little sound of approval, “What are the songs?”   
“um,” she is distracted by Toni’s hand as it scratches at her scalp, she blinks and licks at her soft pink lips,” Day by day,”  
“haven’t you sung that before?” Toni interrupts, receiving a shush look from the blonde. She shuts her mouth and with her free hand does a zip motion, getting a soft smile in response.   
“ maybe, Hallelujah or another song I have yet to think of,” She finishes and rolls off Toni. 

She is beside her now laying on her stomach with her legs bent at the knees and picks up a strawberry taking a bite out of it.   
“I like the sound of, song I have yet to think of,” Toni smirks at her and gets a light shove on the shoulder from the blonde.   
“I’m serious Toni, I need a song,” Shelby is still smiling at her though, eyes sparking in the sun.   
She groans as she looks up at the beautiful girl in front of her, “Why do you ask me? This is more of a Martha question.”   
“Last time I checked,” she starts, looking into Toni’s eyes with mischievousness, “I wasn’t dating Martha.”   
“Oh,” she drags it out nice and long as she sits up and moves her face really close to the blondes, who licks her lips and glances down at Toni’s,” is that what this is?” she teases as she leans in and captures soft pink lips with her own. Shelby tastes like the sweet fruit they have been eating, and Toni smiles into the kiss. She didn’t think they would ever get here, didn’t even know it was something she wanted until a few months ago, but this development is something she was more than happy to live with.   
They pull away and Toni gently rests her forehead on the blondes, "I am sure whatever song you pick you'll sound great."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some plot stuff but mostly wanted to make it cute. I'm not planning on having a large amount of chapters so I hope this doesn't feel to rushed to anyone. Just going with the flow and learning how to write about a couple I love :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. This is my first ever fic and I hope you enjoy it.


End file.
